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Dark of the West

(Glass Alliance #1)

Joanna Hathaway (Goodreads Author)

3.84 · Rating details · 1,211 ratings · 374 reviews

He was raised in revolution. She was raised in a palace. Can their love stop a war? Code Name Verity meets The Winner's Curse in Joanna Hathaway's Dark of the West, a breathtaking YA fantasy debut.

Aurelia Isendare is a princess of a small kingdom in the North, raised in privilege but shielded from politics as her brother prepares to step up to the throne. Halfway around th ...more

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Hardcover, 480 pages

Published February 5th 2019 by Tor Teen

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· 1,211 ratings · 374 reviews

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Start your review of Dark of the West (Glass Alliance, #1)

Apr 17, 2018 Joanna Hathaway added it · (Review from the author)

Update 1/8/19

We're less than a month away from release (!) and I want to share a few things I've been getting questions about on Instagram:

1) Yes, there will be a map in the final copy! It really helps with tracking the various kingdoms and political games. (ETA: You can now view the map here: http://www.joannachathaway.com/map )

2) This is not a standalone book and the Glass Alliance series will continue beyond Dark of the West! (I recently discovered you can add the sequel here: https://www.goo ...more

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Oct 14, 2018 Ashlee » Library In The Country rated it it was amazing

Shelves: enemies-to-lovers, favorites, cool-worldbuilding, bittersweet, listened-to-the-audiobook, book-boyfriend

I LOVED this book and am now obsessed with this world. A fantasy world at war inspired by World War II-era Europe? It is just as beautiful and bittersweet as it sounds.

Some books move so slowly you feel as though your soul is being sucked away. Other books move at a steady progression, building and building, while you know a sudden crescendo will bring it all crashing down. This is the latter and it’s still building.

The MOMENT I finished I went back to read the Prologue straight away and it just ...more

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Jan 14, 2019 Brittney ~ Reverie and Ink rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2018-anticipated-reads

I am so terribly behind on reviews, but I thought I'd write up a very quick mini review until I can catch up!

First of all, I have to commend the writing! It's rare I come across a voice as vivid as Athan's in particular (and Aurelia's was fantastic too)! I loved being utterly swept away in their narrative. By the time I finished, I felt like they were beside me - living and breathing - so much so that I felt their pain as my own.

The story is far from your average royalty-based YA book (which d ...more

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Feb 03, 2019 Fran rated it really liked it

"Nothing's gained without sacrifice". These are the words of General Dakar, ruler of Savient for the past ten years. The General controls Savient and several NE territories near the Black Sea. West of Savient is the small kingdom of Etania ruled by a Queen (Sinora Lehzar) with powerful ties to Resya, located south of the Black Sea. Having married the King of the Northern realm of Etania, she became Queen upon his death despite her Southern roots. Enemies became allies, friends became foes in war "Nothing's gained without sacrifice". These are the words of General Dakar, ruler of Savient for the past ten years. The General controls Savient and several NE territories near the Black Sea. West of Savient is the small kingdom of Etania ruled by a Queen (Sinora Lehzar) with powerful ties to Resya, located south of the Black Sea. Having married the King of the Northern realm of Etania, she became Queen upon his death despite her Southern roots. Enemies became allies, friends became foes in war games of intrigue in the quest to expand kingdoms and avenge the death of loved ones.

Altan Dakar, youngest son of General Dakar, loved the exhilaration of flying but did not want to train for the officer corps. He wanted to "fade from Father's radar". The General however, demanded loyalty. "Loyalty...is what you die for. Loyalty is deeper than blood". Altan must become a "Top Flight" pilot.

Aurelia Isendare is an Etanian princess raised with every imaginable luxury. She has lived a protected life never having ventured outside the palace. Most important to Aurelia is honor. "I greatly admire anyone who risks his own life for the service of others. That is honorable".

Alliances between kingdoms are fluid, ever changing. Each ruler has an agenda. Why had General Dakar come to visit Etania? What lies, deception and betrayals will ensue? Princess Aurelia and young Safire Pilot Altan have an instant connection. What might the future hold for them in the chaotic atmosphere of war?

"Dark of the West (Glass Alliance#1)" by Joanna Hathaway is a YA fantasy novel. The challenges faced by Aurelia and Altan during this world war fantasy were difficult ones. Despite trying to be loyal and honest, deception and betrayal made them "opposites who loved". The inclusion of a map marking the wartime territories would have enhanced this reader's experience. I'm thrilled that a map will be provided in the final copy.

Thank you Macmillan-Tor/Forge , Tor Teen and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "Dark of the West". ...more

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Apr 09, 2017 Hafsah Faizal rated it it was amazing

Beautiful, bittersweet, and lovely, Joanna Hathaway's debut is a gorgeous must-read. Politics and war, star-crossed lovers and secrets held close—the story begins gently, carefully, and builds in careful strokes to a crescendo of clashing emotions and vendettas. I devoured the story in a matter of a few days, a rarity for me.

Lengthier review to come. In the meantime, add this to your lists! ...more

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Jan 29, 2019 Faith M ✨ rated it it was ok

Shelves: net-galley, mc-boi, arc, dont-believe-the-hype, science-fiction, young-adult, dnf, fantasy, mc-gurl, read-2019

I received this eARC from Tor Teen on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of this book in any way.

DNF'd at chapter 2

I'm sure the book is fine, and I liked some aspects of it, but the prologue was terrible as far as plot goes, the writing is simultaneously pretentious and boring—and somehow manages to read like distance-inducing third person despite being first—and so much exposition has been spewed at me, I feel like I've already read half the book. There ...more

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Jan 09, 2019 Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell marked it as wishlist

You had me at "The Winner's Curse" ...more

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Jan 27, 2019 The Candid Cover (Olivia & Lori) rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2019-releases, young-adult, arc

Full Review on The Candid Cover

Dark of the West by Joanna Hathaway is unlike any fantasy I’ve read before. The book features espionage, forbidden romance, and aviation, which is such any amazing combination. I enjoyed both of the main characters, and the writing is impressive. I would definitely recommend this one as it is an original high fantasy.

This book tells the story of a pilot and a princess torn apart by politics. Athan is the son of a powerful general, and Aurelia is the daughter of the Full Review on The Candid Cover

Dark of the West by Joanna Hathaway is unlike any fantasy I’ve read before. The book features espionage, forbidden romance, and aviation, which is such any amazing combination. I enjoyed both of the main characters, and the writing is impressive. I would definitely recommend this one as it is an original high fantasy.

This book tells the story of a pilot and a princess torn apart by politics. Athan is the son of a powerful general, and Aurelia is the daughter of the enemy. The two fall in love despite being on the verge of war. I loved how high-stakes the story is and how it combines espionage, betrayal, and forbidden romance. The aviation aspects are also unique, and I enjoyed reading the action-packed dogfight scenes. I was very impressed by the originality of this one, and I would say it is the perfect read for fantasy fans.

Both Aurelia and Athan are interesting characters, and both their narrations provide extra insight. Aurelia lives a life of privilege, however it becomes clear to the reader that she is more than just her title. Athan is essentially her opposite, and he grew up surrounded by war. He is pressured to follow in his father’s footsteps and be a fighter pilot. Although I enjoyed them both, I have to say Than intrigued me more. He seemed a little more original to me, and I felt like there was more action in his narrations.

One of the best parts of the book is the writing. The book is able to pull off that classic historical-fantasy-sounding tone with a more modern twist. Although it has some seemingly World War 2 inspired aspects (and actual love letters), some bits are more contemporary, and there were scenes that made me laugh which is not typical in fantasy novels. The world building is also complex, and the politics and alliances are developed.

Dark of the West is a unique political fantasy with interesting aspects such as espionage. The main characters are both likeable and the writing is vivid. I can’t wait to see where the series goes next! ...more

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Feb 12, 2019 Kelly Brigid ♡ rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, fantasy, young-adult

"We'll just keep running. Just be quick enough to stay ahead. It's what I'll always do. Because I have you. And I fly for you."

♡ Dark of the West is a lovely debut, that although difficult to follow at times, remains intriguing enough to snatch the reader’s undivided attention. From the very first pages, the prologue sparks intense curiosity, and lures one into the story. What I admire most about this novel is the lush world Hathaway crafts, seamlessly weaving together fantasy and WWI and II elements. This beautifully complex setting is quite original, and while I appreciate this, I truly wish a map would’ve been provided to help me better understand the location of particular empires. I believe this is only an issue in the arc version of the book, so that’s a wonderful relief! Blending history with fantasy is no simple task, but it’s truly evident how much work the author devoted to constructing this intricate world!

♡ The dual narratives are alluring, and I especially love Athan’s! For the umpteenth time, I shall mention my undying love for sweet characters who have deep, complex relationships with their families. The intriguing dynamics between Athan and his two brothers are fascinating. How these bonds undergo significant change throughout is executed well. I also have a sizable soft spot for children who struggle to live up to their parents’ rigorous expectations. With that being said, I want to wrap precious Athan into my arms. My maternal instincts are showing. His honest nature, desire for love, and snarky personality work in accordance with one another flawlessly. I love everything about his narrative, and found his voice quite refreshing.

♡ Aurelia is a tad overshadowed, but charming nonetheless. A prevalent problem for me when I read novels with dual perspectives, is the constant comparison game I play between the two. Whether this decision is conscious or not, I find it challenging to refrain from drawing parallels, or the lack thereof, among the characters. There are several aspects of Aurelia’s personality that I admire, but the roles bestowed upon her in this novel felt fairly familiar, and not necessarily new. I longed to witness a more unique spin on her character, but was left disappointed. The romance between her and Athan develops quickly, but is still satisfying. They’re both new to love and I loved the innocent quality each of them possess.

♡ Where the plot may had lacked in originality, the brilliant familial and political dynamics that occur more than suffice! I find it nothing short of fascinating to view so many differing perspectives on the issues that arose from the impeding war and conflicts. The justifications and prejudices characters use to defend their actions are equally as intriguing. As foreshadowed in its prologue, this story depicts how our surroundings can greatly alter the course of our futures. The titles we grant ourselves are fragile and can be of little consequence in the grand scheme of things. Despite the slow and slightly perplexing beginning, I was greatly impressed by Hathaway’s debut, and cannot wait to continue with the Glass Alliance series!

A huge thanks to the publisher for sending me an ARC of this novel!

Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | Bloglovin ...more

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Mar 15, 2018 Dylan Matthews rated it it was amazing

One of my favorite books. Ever.

The story is driven as Athan, son of a fearsome military leader, is sent to spy on princess Aurelia. Too often in fantasy love stories do I see the romantic plot take over, and a war just becomes a backdrop. Not here. In fact, it was the politics that really drew me in.

It begins with Athan's family, who each have their own specific talent of war. His father is a man who united ragtag nations and created a formidable army that continues to conquer. His oldest brothe One of my favorite books. Ever.

The story is driven as Athan, son of a fearsome military leader, is sent to spy on princess Aurelia. Too often in fantasy love stories do I see the romantic plot take over, and a war just becomes a backdrop. Not here. In fact, it was the politics that really drew me in.

It begins with Athan's family, who each have their own specific talent of war. His father is a man who united ragtag nations and created a formidable army that continues to conquer. His oldest brother Arrin is a handsome military celebrity and hero who is somehow crude and irresistibly charming at the same time. Then there's Kalt, his other brother who commands the sea and refuses to step a toe out of line.

Athan has more potential than them all. A pilot with unmatched skills in the sky (more on this in a bit). Yet despite his abilities, he wants nothing to do with the war his father started.

He wants to escape it, to fly off and never be seen again, but that would just leave his best friend Cyar to fight in the war all alone. And let me tell you, thank goodness for his decision to fight, because those battle scenes in the sky GET MY BLOOD PUMPING. I was constantly on edge as Athan and his team flew up against enemy planes! The best scenes are when Athan is in the air.

I also don’t think I’ve done a good enough job talking about how badass of a character Arrin is. Hell, a ten page essay couldn’t do that. He’s the kind of guy who will have a whole room eating out of the palm of his hand. Beyond arrogant with a nose for trouble. I adore him for that. Every time he opens his mouth, I hold my breath to see what comes out. His military decorations give him a sort of “free pass”, one that he seems intent on testing the limits of. And yet through it all, he someone wins your affection.

I had the privilege to read an early draft of this and saw the journey to its final polished form. It is one of my favorite reads of all time, and I'm already chomping at the bit to see book 2. ...more

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Nov 15, 2016 Kat rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorite-authors, omg-the-feels, historical, fantasy, one-of-the-best, looking-forward-to-the-cover

I've read this book several times now, through many different drafts, and every single time I do I'm amazed all over again how beautiful, how inspiring, how epic, how well-written and gripping and heartbreaking and brilliant this story and Jo are. If you love fantasy, you'll adore this book. If you love historical fiction, you'll adore this book. If you love romance, you'll adore this book. (And NO love triangle! Yay!) If you love friendship, bromance, World War II, fighter planes, horses, balls ...more

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Feb 01, 2019 laurel [the suspected bibliophile] marked it as dnf

Shelves: arcs

DNF at 25%

This should have been one of my top reads of 2019. It has everything I wanted—a WWI/WWII inspired fantasy world filled with airplanes, danger, spies and snipers, politics and murder.

However, I felt that it was severely lacking in context. It was like being dropped into the middle of a series, where everything was already established, battle lines were drawn, and the author chose not to see fit to give the reader a clue what the hell was going on. Yes, I could probably finagle things ou DNF at 25%

This should have been one of my top reads of 2019. It has everything I wanted—a WWI/WWII inspired fantasy world filled with airplanes, danger, spies and snipers, politics and murder.

However, I felt that it was severely lacking in context. It was like being dropped into the middle of a series, where everything was already established, battle lines were drawn, and the author chose not to see fit to give the reader a clue what the hell was going on. Yes, I could probably finagle things out if I really wanted to since it wasn't complicated, and I'm sure that the promised map would have helped, but having a bajillion names and places dropped without referencing why they were important—or Athan's half-rationalized decision to stay home and then his sudden switching—made the story far more confusing that it needed to be.

The lack of context and constant name dropping made it very hard to connect to the characters, mainly because there was a lot of telling how they felt about each other, without ever showing or really going into why they cared. For example, apparently Athan was his mother's favorite and he loved his mother—two things that were repeated ad nauseum, but there was little shown to support their deep connection to each other. This made certain events feel...less emotionally impactful. Overall, I just didn't care enough about the characters to want them to live or die, and...at 25% I should be feeling something. However, I just wasn't invested in a single one.

Additionally, that prologue was...torture. I'm 95% certain that I found out the twist of it already based on the clues that have been dropped so far, but the writing in the prologue nearly made me DNF at that point alone. It was over-written, purple-prose stacked upon purple-prose, contrived and deliberately obtuse (not in a good way). I felt little desire to go on, and probably should have skipped the prologue entirely and moved into chapter 1.

Happily, chapter 1's writing became a lot more reasonable, although I still wished that more effort had been spent on describing why the politics and decisions were important instead of describing the dust, hyacinths and each ray of sun peeping over the mountains.

Okay, that was a little too salty.

I do think that this story will resonate with people who have a lot more patience than I do, particularly with its slow reveals and the idea that maybe things will become more clear later on, but it's not really doing anything for me right now.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. ...more

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Nov 27, 2018 Minni Mouse added it

Shelves: dnf-because-squirrel, young-adult-fantasy, 2019, young-adult-romance

DNF at 8% because let's be honest -- this book was all bad book chemistry for me the moment the blurb compared itself to The Winner's Curse. Good for you, marketing team, trying to steal and make money off of my babies.

Where and when in the world are we? An alternate reality World War II time period? If so, strike two bad book chemistry fail with the contemporary tone -- Mama here don't do contemporary stories. Some people might applaud the author for trying to create a new and fresh setting fo ...more

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Nov 14, 2016 mith marked it as to-read

Shelves: 2019-publication

lmao my only solace to this coming out next febraury (oh yes) is that it's getting a new cover.

bc like i said before: what a travesty of a cover. ...more

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Mar 09, 2017 Cindy ✩☽♔ marked it as to-read

6/22/18
Update: Cover is now model free, yay! A little tame and standard but that's okay with me lol
---
Another unappealing cover of a girl in a dress, woo...*eye roll* ...more

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Feb 11, 2019 Fafa's Book Corner added it · review of another edition

Mini review:

DNF

Trigger warning: Mention of war and death. Till the point I read.

I received this E-ARC via Macmillan-Tor/Forge and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I have heard and seen this book everywhere. When I saw it on Netgalley I got curious and requested it. Unfortunately it wasn’t for me.

The writing style for one of the main characters’ point of view was off. It started to irk me. And it was taking a long time to process what I just read. Which is one I decided to put it dow ...more

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Mar 31, 2020 Jamie :) rated it really liked it

WHY 👏DID 👏NO ONE 👏TELL ME 👏HOW GOOD 👏THIS 👏BOOK 👏IS

This is such a richly written political YA fantasy and MAN did it hit me hard w a rich slow burn intricate plot that made my head spin for a minute

Athan is the first poignant male POV I’ve read in awhile... also the first male POV I’ve connected so deeply w in forever so props to that *snaps*

While I admit this book lagged for about 100 pages in the middle (after around page 200) and could have been about a whole hundred pages shorter the plot ...more

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Oct 10, 2018 Shea rated it it was amazing

This book is stunning!
Don’t be fooled by the heart-pounding pace of this book, this story is also beautifully, delicately told and should be savored, page by page. Don’t expect to get any sleep either, Hathaway’s writing had me flipping pages well into the night. A must-read for 2019. This book will be your new favorite!

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Jan 30, 2019 Lauren Stoolfire rated it really liked it

Shelves: war, young-adult, historical-fiction, fantasy, romance

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Dark of the West (Glass Alliance #1) by Joanna Hathaway is an unexpected and sprawling debut YA fantasy. The world-building and scope of this novel are grand and point to an incredibly detailed history. The author does a wonderful job of mixing the WWII-esque political elements and classic fantasy elements. Hathaway's cast of characters are also quite intriguing, including the secondary characters, and all are well developed. I pa ...more

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Feb 09, 2019 Vanessa ♛Queen Alchemy ϟ Novel Nerd Faction♛ rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, reviewed, romance, cover-love, read-for-review, fantasy, young-adult, uno-challenge

I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the publisher/author.

Warning: This review MAY contain spoilers.

This book really impressed me. I admit that it took me longer to get into the story that I would have liked, but once I dug my feet in I was hooked. Hathaway's writing style is so fluent and beautiful that it is hard to walk away from. I enjoyed her writing voice. If I am being honest, the writing felt like it fell somewhere between young adult and adult. Her storytelling is marvelou I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the publisher/author.

Warning: This review MAY contain spoilers.

This book really impressed me. I admit that it took me longer to get into the story that I would have liked, but once I dug my feet in I was hooked. Hathaway's writing style is so fluent and beautiful that it is hard to walk away from. I enjoyed her writing voice. If I am being honest, the writing felt like it fell somewhere between young adult and adult. Her storytelling is marvelous!

This book felt very unique to me as far as fantasy books go. This book had a feel of World War Two in a fictional world with various royalty and militaries. It is certainly unlike anything that I've ever read. It really stands out. The world building took me a while to get straight in my head where all the countries and nations are concerned, but it was really phenomenal overall.

The plot is clever and engaging. I loved all the espionage, rebellion, political intrigue, and overall mystery surrounding many of the characters and their loyalties. The way that the plot points are woven into the story is amazing.

The characters in this book are intriguing and they grow on you quickly. Once you get inside their heads you will want to know more and more. I personally felt more connected to Athan's character than Aurelia's. I adored them both in their own ways, but I loved Athan's voice the most. I also enjoyed the romance between Aurelia and Athan. It is a very loose enemies-to-lovers trope.

This book has a little bit of everything to love. There is family, friendship, war, love, royalty, military, politics, fighter pilots, military boys that don't know how to dance and princesses that teach them, and an original world with multiple nations. It is a book that will blow you away page after page.

In the end, getting the nations and countries straight was a little difficult at first and caused a bit of confusion, but not enough to ruin the reading experience. I understood the characters and their motives and desires, but I did not feel overly connected to them. Everything else was pretty much golden.

If you are looking for a different kind of fantasy read, something wholly unique, then this is the book for you. Hop on into the cockpit and give this one a try because it will get your engine roaring! ...more

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Sep 21, 2017 Lauren rated it it was amazing

Shelves: pub-tor

What I love: Oh my goodness gracious, this series is going to murder me before it’s over. I don’t know how many books are planned, but I’m freaking out thinking of what is to come. I read this all the way through, then reread the prologue, and I’m even more of a mess now. THE DARK OF THE WEST is filled with political maneuvering and the machinations of war. And you need to pay attention from the start. It is all told through the perspective of a young princess and a new pilot, who are slowly but ...more

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Oct 29, 2017 Leah rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fiction, young-adult, pitch-wars-authors, 2017-reading-challenge

I was lucky enough to get my hands on an advance copy of Dark of the West, and I absolutely loved it. The forbidden love between Athan and Ali is heartbreakingly bittersweet, especially as they are inexorably dragged closer and closer to a war neither of them wants. But this book is about more than soldiers and star-crossed lovers. There's also deep friendships, family ties, and shifting political loyalties--plenty of intrigue to keep the pages turning! Can't wait to see this novel on the shelve ...more

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Nov 30, 2017 Mic rated it it was amazing

Shelves: bromance, cuddly-animals-and-or-monsters, messy-families, macmillan, best-book-boyfriends, arcs, i-will-go-down-with-this-ship, pitch-wars-books, throw-me-off-this-cliffhanger, prologue-love

LOVE LETTERS. THE MOST PERFECT BEAUTIFUL LOVE LETTERS IN THIS BOOK I SWEAR I AM TRASH FOR IT.

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Nov 30, 2018 Lili Marcus rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, 2019-arcs, 2019-reads

3.5 stars.

He was raised in revolution. She was raised in a palace. Can their love stop a war?

This book has all the right elements I'm interested in. It is a war story which I don't read often but fascinated at. It is an undercover/spy story turns a love story, you know, that kind of trope. I LOVE IT. I was really looking forward to this book and I can say it somehow delivered. Somehow. Here's the thing, there were times I got bored reading this, especially in the first two-thirds of the story. ...more

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Mar 16, 2018 Radhika rated it it was amazing

The is one of the best -- if not the best -- young adult series I've read in a long time. It has everything: war, love, action, spies, intrigue and it's political and smart. The author has clearly done her research on WWI and WW2 geopolitics in creating this fascinating world and even more fascinating characters. (I've been lucky enough to review an early copy of book 2, and yes, it gets better.)

Oh, and did I mention Hathaway's gorgeous prose? It's got that too. I don't say this lightly, but th ...more

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Apr 08, 2017 Isabel Ibañez rated it it was amazing

OMG guys....this book is so beautiful. I had the privilege of reading this book early on in its journey to publication. The grand sweep of the story takes you from the skies to a glittering court to a war zone. It's lush and evocative, the writing is incredible lyrical...I could go on and on. Pick this one up, you won't regret it! ...more

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Jan 14, 2019 Lisa added it

Shelves: 2019-release

Review from TenaciousReader: http://www.tenaciousreader.com/2019/0...

Dark of the West is the story of revolution, war, and of course, of forbidden love. It’s told through alternating perspectives from Athan, who grew up in constant war and is the third son of a ruthless and powerful general who is leading a revolution. Aurelia grew up somewhat sheltered as a princess of smaller kingdom that has not experienced war firsthand at home.

I really enjoyed both perspectives. Athan is a pilot who is gett Review from TenaciousReader: http://www.tenaciousreader.com/2019/0...

Dark of the West is the story of revolution, war, and of course, of forbidden love. It’s told through alternating perspectives from Athan, who grew up in constant war and is the third son of a ruthless and powerful general who is leading a revolution. Aurelia grew up somewhat sheltered as a princess of smaller kingdom that has not experienced war firsthand at home.

I really enjoyed both perspectives. Athan is a pilot who is getting ready to go through testing to determine his placement after his training ends. He is the clear favorite of his mother who hates the constant war and wants Athan to find a way out of it, a way to stay safe and not waste his life. This makes her the opposite of his father who lives and breathes war and strategy and expects the same of his sons. If Athan had his way, he would follow his mother’s preferred path for him. He is extremely intelligent and a very skilled pilot, his father’s ideal combination, so Athan’s strategy is to hide as much of that from his father as possible. But his father is determined to use Athan however he can, and will use whatever tactics necessary to get Athan to cooperate.

When Athan is tasked with spying on Aurelia and her brother, the crown prince who is expected to take the throne within the next year, he was reluctant and just didn’t expect to be able to please his father. What he did not expect was the instant connection he felt with the princess. The two become quite giddy for each other (there may be a bit of insta-love here). But its sweet and for Athan, he really needs something other than war and pressure (from his father) in his life. Aurelia (Ali) provides that, and the two have quite a bit in common. For Ali, she needs someone to really see her and listen to her and believe in her, not just see her as a vacant princess whose sole value is being married off to whoever has the best strategic value. Athan instantly truly sees her and can help her be the person she can be instead of being a shadow of person who can’t actively contribute.

Before you get to this next section, which may be bordering on a rant, I want to emphasize that overall, I really did enjoy this and I do want to read the next one, so don’t read the next two paragraphs and leave with only the negatives.

What hasn’t sit all that well with me is the decision to have the prologue set so far ahead of the entire book. I found myself thinking about details I learned from it through out the book and was looking forward to “catching up” to it just so I would stop thinking about the things I knew were coming versus enjoying the story as it comes. I have gone back and forth if the prologue was a good decision or not because it certainly heightened my curiosity, however I also felt like it was akin to reading spoilers in an online forum, which I absolutely hate. Then I remember the reason I hate spoilers is because I want to experience the story as the author wants to tell it, so I should go with this, because the author chose to reveal these details. But I still found myself wishing I didn’t know and a bit perplexed at what the goal of revealing it early was.

Honestly, I am leaning towards it being a cheap device to try and hook readers by giving them a climatic scene, then thrusting them back to the very beginning. It’s like a TV show where they show you the ending first, then bounce you back 48 hours (or whatever) to fill in the gaps, but with reading I find it sticks with me easier than a TV show where I might forget until it gets close the scene I saw earlier. If I had caught up to the “prologue” scene by the end of this book, I think I’d be more forgiving, but the fact that the end of this book clearly is before that prologue scene just grates on my nerves a bit. I don’t want to go into yet another book like that and the more I dwell on it, the less I see a reason for the story to be structured this way. And to be clear, after the prologue, everything is told sequentially. Ultimately those pages in the beginning are causing me to give the entire book a lower rating and I feel its rare I can point to a specific section of the book that can have that much impact on an overall rating, but there it is. Evidently I hate spoilers that much even if they are given by the author, and therefor shouldn’t be considered spoilers.

/rant

OK, now with that out of my system, I can go back and say again, I really enjoyed these two characters! I really did enjoy the story quite a bit! Honestly, if I didn’t enjoy it so much, I am guessing that prologue would not have irked me so much because I simply wouldn’t care enough to dwell on it. I never advocate skipping sections of a book, I do feel its important to read the story as the author wants to tell it, but if I were ever forced to pick one section of one book from all the books I’ve ever read to skip, it would probably be this prologue. I just really still don’t understand why its there. ...more

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Jan 26, 2019 Vicky Again added it

in short: very...dense? it's not for me.

I feel like I’m just not the right audience for this book? It’s a YA book and it’s almost WWI-ish with the world developments (planes + guns + such), but in a fictional world with lots of politics.

Huge emphasis on the lots. So much politics. And fictional countries. And political maneuvers because ~war~.

I was attracted to this book because of the cover and because friends liked it, but I feel like I’m just not the right person for this book? It’s almost ...more

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Jan 27, 2019 Atlas rated it liked it

Shelves: arc-s, high-fantasy, ya

This war is young and doesn't yet know what it wants

* * *
3 / 5

Dark of the West confused me. It felt like a clever book, full of plots and intrigue, but I felt lost for most of it. There was too much going on, too many betrayals and a little bit too pretentious.

Somewhere, the forest is burning, my father is raging, and the kingdom staggers

Aurelia Isendare is a princess of the Kingdom of Etania. Etania is one of the northern kingdoms that has a complicated relationship with the newly forged in blo ...more

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Oct 30, 2017 Nicole N. (A Myriad of Books) rated it really liked it

Shelves: galley, romance, 2019-releases, arc, young-adult, ya-fantasy, fantasy

This book has been on my radar ever since I learned earlier last year that it’s comp title was The Winner's Curse. Comp titles, or comparison titles, are 1-2 similar titles to the book. (Think of it as “If you liked these titles, you’d like [this book].”) Along with TWC, the other comp title is Code Name Verity, which is a book I haven’t read but one I’ve heard.

Anywho, DotW was pushed back by almost a full year when it got a cover redesign. There are some ARCs still floating around with the old ...more

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About Joanna Hathaway

Joanna Hathaway

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Joanna was born in Montréal and is an avid storyteller who was inspired to write after reading her great-grandfather’s memoirs of the First World War. A lifelong history buff, she now has shelves filled with biographies and historical accounts, and perhaps one too many books about pilots. She can often be found reading, traveling, or riding horses.